Women coping with AIDS in Africa: contributions of a contextually grounded research methodology

The primary objective of this report is to describe a contextually grounded approach to the investigation of coping and psychological functioning in AIDS-sick mothers. Five AIDS-sick women on antiretroviral therapy who had at least one child under 6 years of age living in their households were interviewed. Among the issues that emerged was the complexity of the women's psychological functioning, the fact that they made strategic decisions about disclosure aimed at protecting important social support networks, and that their well-being was dynamically influenced by factors in the home and community. The study provides evidence for the value of a contextual approach when investigating the psychological functioning of HIV positive mothers living in poor high-HIV prevalence communities in developing countries.     

Maternal spiritual health as a predictor of psychological well-being and resilience of her young adult offspring

The unique bond between a mother and her child has drawn the attention of many researchers through the years. Yet, there is a dearth of studies that inquire maternal spiritual health and its potential manifestation through the mother–child bond. Since associations between spiritual health, resilience and psychological well-being have been established through literature, it would be interesting to study how spiritual health of a mother might be a potential source of influence in the life of her child. The current study inquires whether maternal spiritual health can predict psychological well-being and resilience in her young adult. Sample data for the study were collected from 205 families (205 mothers along with their respective young adults, N?=?410). Results indicate maternal spiritual health is a significant predictor of psychological well-being (p?p?相似文献   

Psychological Distress and Associated Factors Among a Sample of Pregnant Women in South Africa

We sought to identify the prevalence of psychological distress and associated factors among pregnant women who were patients at antenatal primary care clinics in a South Africa district. A cross-sectional study using systematic sampling was conducted among 1497 pregnant women (age range=18 to 47 years; mean age=26.6 years, SD=6.1; Black African=98%), with a mean gestational age of 6.5 months (SD=1.6). They completed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, a measure of psychological distress. Results showed high rates of severe psychological distress (26.5%). Increased distress was in multivariate analysis associated with having had an STI (other than HIV), being unhappy about current pregnancy, and HIV positive. Identification of pregnant women with psychological distress in public health clinics is crucial for effective and appropriate targeted interventions.     

Hindu Women,Destiny and Stridharma

Ideas about destiny —about how and why things occur and what they promise for the future —have rarely been discussed in relation to gender. By discussing the sociological and anthropological literature on karma and other sources of misfortune, andstridharma, I provide a context for examining the views of Hindu women on destiny, particularly those living in Britain. In addition to examining their references to a variety of spiritual forces which influence events and to their duties as daughters, wives and mothers, I consider the issues of resistance, intervention, agency and autonomy. It is my contention that when contemporary Hindu women speak about fate, karma, divine agency and freewill what they say can only be understood with reference to their dharma as women.     

Pathological Women Gamblers: Gender-Related Aspects of Control

This study examines the control exhibited by pathological women gamblers over their lives and their surroundings, and how this is governed by their perception of their gender role and socio-cultural expectations of them as women. Seventeen pathological women gamblers (13 of whom were mothers) were recruited from three addiction treatment centers in Israel, and participated in semi-structured interviews. Three central themes emerged during analysis: maintaining control over the gender roles—putting child raising and housekeeping duties first despite their gambling habits; control over the choice of gambling venue—gambling far from their home, or where they knew the owners; and moral control—steering clear of immoral behaviors in spite of their addiction to gambling. Further analysis reveals how pathological women gamblers who are also mothers make rational choices that help them juggle between their gender roles and gambling, to minimize the social costs that might be incurred by their gambling habit. Moreover, presenting the gambling behavior as more moral than theft or prostitution enabled them to normalize their behavior. The study’s findings show how the decisions and choices made by the women in this study are shaped by the socio-cultural context in which they are made.     

Parents' representations of their children: an exploratory study using the Osgood Semantic Differential Scales

The results of an exploratory national study carried out in Italy using Osgood's Semantic Differential Scales (Osgood, Suci, & Tannenbaum, 1957) with parents of 100 normal 6- to 11-yr.-old children in mainstream classrooms are reported. The aim was to devise a simple tool to be used to explore parents' perceptions of their children in this age group. Parents were asked to rate "my child" using some of Osgood's Semantic Differential Scales especially adapted for this study. Participants were 97 fathers and 100 mothers. Fathers were 32 to 57 years of age (M = 43.2, SD = 5.4), mothers were 29 to 49 years of age (M = 39.7, SD =4.4). In factor analysis four factors were identified: Activity, Evaluation, Emotions evoked by the child, Personality/Physical contact. Average factor scores were significantly different. There were no significant differences between fathers and mothers on the four factor scores. Children were more positively evaluated the younger they were.     

The Relation Between Mothers’ Attitudes Toward Maternal Employment and Social Competence of 36-Month-Olds: The Roles of Maternal Psychological Well-Being and Sensitivity

The relation of mothers’ attitudes on the effects of maternal employment on children, psychological well-being, sensitivity of the mother, and children’s socioemotional development were examined in mothers who worked full time (consistently) and mothers who were unemployed during their children’s early years of growth from 6 months of age. Longitudinal observations of 1,213 mothers and children from age 1 to 36 months from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care were analyzed using structural equation models. Mothers and children benefited when maternal attitudes were consistent with the mothers’ actual employment status. Among consistently employed mothers, those with positive attitudes about employment had better psychological well-being. When mothers who were unemployed, they believed that maternal employment would have positive consequences for their children’s development, they preferred working outside home and they were more likely to show a low level of psychological well-being and poor quality of mother-child relation. Additionally, maternal well-being mediated the relation between a mother’s attitudes and a child’s social competence. For both groups, better psychological well-being of mothers was positively related to better child’s socioemotional outcome. Maternal sensitivity, however, did not mediate the relation between maternal attitudes and child’s social outcomes. The findings shed light on the need for a sensitive measure of characterizing mothers who work versus those who stay at home in order to better understand the effects on a child’s development.     

Bad,Pathetic and Greedy Women: Expressions of Surrogate Motherhood Stigma in a Russian Online Forum

Gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the child she is carrying, is the most common type of surrogacy today. Although technologically well-developed and legal in many countries, it is stigmatized socially because it provokes and even contradicts basic traditional concepts of family, motherhood, and gender roles. The present study examines the types and expressions of the surrogacy stigma in Russia, applying a dual-pathway stigma model to a qualitative content analysis of 15,602 posts on a Russian-language online forum for surrogate mothers. Our findings reveal that the women’s choice to become surrogate mothers initiated a social process in which these women experienced four types of stigma: Bad mothers, bad wives, pathetic losers, and greedy women. Surrogate mothers described the experience and internalization of stigma as threatening their social roles in the traditional family and financial realm alike. Our study places surrogacy stigma in the context of the post-Soviet financial and social climate as experienced and expressed by participants. Furthermore, understandings of the essence of perceived surrogacy stigma may help professionals develop a more nuanced and accurate approach for psychological and social care and may lead to increased accuracy in media, law, and political representation of members of this vulnerable group.

     

The Psychological Impact of Domestic Violence on Spanish Women1

This study examined the psychological impact of partner violence on 240 Spanish women who were identified as abused, comparing them to a control group of 240 non‐abused women. The abused women suffered more long‐lasting anxiety and insomnia, severe depression, and somatic symptomatology, and also had lower self‐esteem than did the non‐abused women. The severity of the psychological abuse was correlated positively with the severity of the physical abuse, while the number of years of abuse endured correlated with the women's age and number of children. The most relevant variable for predicting severe depression, social dysfunction, anxiety and insomnia, and somatic symptoms was low self‐esteem.     

Parents' estimations of their own intelligence and that of their children: a comparison between English and Icelandic parents

In this study, 158 parents (79 fathers and 79 mothers) with a mean age of 38.3 yrs (SD = 8.2), estimated their own, and their children's, overall intelligence as well as their children's score on the 12 intelligence scales from the Wechsler's Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). The sample included English (n = 122) and Icelandic parents (n = 36), and a comparison between them showed few differences except that Icelandic parents' estimates were lower than English parents' estimates. The results showed fathers estimated their own overall intelligence higher than mothers estimated theirs and sons were estimated higher than daughters on overall intelligence. Two factors (verbal, performance) of intelligence were identified through factor analysis of the ratings of the 12 WISC subscale score estimates. A hierarchical regression showed that these two factors explained most of the variance in the estimation of the child's overall intelligence; however, gender of child and parents' self-estimated own overall intelligence added incremental variance.     

Body Image and Depression in Women With Early and Late Onset Obesity

Three groups of women (N = 27 in each group) were compared: women of normal weight and asymptomatic for eating disorders (M = 125.5 lb); women with early onset obesity—before 13 years (M = 182.4 lb); and women with adult onset obesity—17 years or over (M = 172.4 lb). Subjects (M age = 40.7 years) were obtained through church and business groups. Body image and depression were assessed, respectively, by three scales of the Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (Winstead & Cash, 1983) and by the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, 1967). The combined group of obese subjects rated their bodies as less fit than normal weight subjects (p<.01). However, there were no other significant differences between obese and normal weight subjects. Also, no significant differences were found between the early and late onset groups. Results showed that (a) there is a subpopulation of obese women who are relatively satisfied with their bodies and whose psychological adjustment is no different from that of other women, and that (b) an early onset of obesity does not necessarily have more serious psychological consequences than late onset.     

Extending the spectrum idea: child personality,parenting and psychopathology

The spectrum hypothesis, postulating that differences between referred and non‐referred samples are confined to mean level differences, is elaborated by exploring whether the covariation between child problem behaviour and its predictors—child personality and parenting, rated by mothers—is similar in referred (N = 205) and non‐referred (N = 596) children and whether personality by parenting interactions can be generalized across samples. Results showed significant mean level differences for all the variables. Both personality and parenting explained problem behaviour, with some differences in strength of the effects across samples. Parenting by personality interactions mainly predicted externalizing behaviour, with benevolence and conscientiousness as the most prominent moderators. Results confirmed that moderators of problem behaviour operate similarly in the two samples, thus corroborating the spectrum hypothesis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Informal Support among Low-Income Mothers Post Welfare Reform:A Systematic Review

The vulnerability and instability of low-income mothers situated in a context with a weak public safety net make informal social support one of few options many low-income mothers have to meet basic needs. This systematic review examines (a) social support as an empirical construct, (b) the restricted availability of one important aspect of social support—informal perceived support, hereafter informal support—among low-income mothers, (c) the role of informal support in maternal, economic, parenting, and child outcomes, (d) the aspects of informal support that influence its effects, and (e) directions for future research. Traditional systematic review methods resulted in an appraisal of 65 articles published between January 1996 and May 2017. Findings indicated that informal support is least available among mothers most in need. Informal support provides some protection from psychological distress, economic hardship, poor parenting practices, and poor child outcomes. To promote informal support and its benefits among low-income families, future research can advance knowledge by defining the quintessential characteristics of informal support, identifying instruments to capture these characteristics, and providing the circumstances in which support can be most beneficial to maternal and child well-being. Consistent measurement and increased understanding of informal support and its nuances can inform intervention design and delivery to strengthen vulnerable mothers’ informal support perceptions thereby improving individual and family outcomes.     

Sex of child preferences among college students

In both 1985 and 1988, college student preferences for the sex of an only child were examined using social surveys. For both years, it was found that male students strongly prefer a male child, but that female students moderately prefer a female child. Gender of respondent accounted for most of the sex preference difference. The sex role attitude of agreement with having the wife retain her own name was the only other variable significantly related to sex preference. It is argued that differing male-female role expectations for women as wives and mothers partly explained the gender differences in sex preference for a child.     

The Prevalence of Coping Behaviour,Posttraumatic Growth and Psychological Well-Being in Women who Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse

This study investigated the prevalence of coping behaviour, posttraumatic growth and psychological well-being in adult South African women (n=60, mean age=32, ethnicity=70% European, 28% African and 2% Asian descent). Specifically, the study considered the prevalence of constructive coping, posttraumatic growth and psychological well-being with a history of childhood sexual abuse. All participants self-reported being sexually abused before the age of 18 years. They completed measures of coping, posttraumatic growth, and psychological well-being, in a cross-sectional survey design. Results showed moderate to high correlations among scales indicating conceptual coherence as indicators of constructive coping, posttraumatic growth and psychological wellness. About 58% of participants manifested constructive coping, 60% manifested posttraumatic growth, and 42% manifested psychological well-being. These women survivors of childhood sexual abuse had higher levels of posttraumatic growth than reported in previous studies.     

Stress and coping in mothers caring for a child with severe learning difficulties: A test of Lazarus' transactional model of coping

The literature on psychological stress among women consistently points to the adverse effects of child rearing on mothers, particularly those caring for children with physical or mental handicaps. Early studies of the effects on family functioning of caring for a child with severe learning difficulties adopted a pathological approach in which it was assumed that psychological distress was inevitable among family members, particularly mothers. Recent research has emphasised that many families cope with and adapt to the stress they experience, and seeks to discover how they do so. The paper reports on a study of 166 mothers caring for a child with severe learning difficulties. The aim of the study was to investigate both the factors associated with maternal stress and those which might mediate or buffer the effects of stress. The study used the Folkman and Lazarus' (1979) transactional model of stress. Stress is the condition that results when person/environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy between the demands of a situation and his/her resources or ability to cope with those demands. The nature and type of coping generated by a person will be determined by the coping resources in the person's environment. The model identifies five categories of coping resource: utilitarian resources, health/morale, social networks, general and specific beliefs, and problem solving skills. In our study, the five coping resources were represented by the mother's social class and appraisal of her financial worries, physical health, social support, acceptance of and adjustment to the child, and assessment of coping skills. Stress was measured by the Malaise Inventory (Rutter, 1970). Four of the five coping resources were found to be significant contributors in a hierarchical regression analysis of stress scores, contributing additional variance beyond that of behavioural and other child characteristics. Altogether, 55% of the variance in stress scores was explained.     

Spiritual Development and Cultural Context in the Lives of Women Adult Educators for Social Change

This paper reports the results of a qualitative research study where the purpose was to examine the spiritual development of a multicultural group of women adult educators who are teaching for social justice and are motivated to do so because of their spiritual commitments. Findings reveal 4 themes of spiritual development. It may be described as a spiral process of moving beyond and re-membering spiritual values and symbols of the culture of origin, it includes a deepening awareness and honoring of the Lifeforce, it facilitates authentic identity development, and it requires social action.     

Parent and Child Anxiety Sensitivity: Relationship in a Nonclinical Sample

Little is known about the relationship between parent and child anxiety sensitivity (AS), particularly in nonclinical samples. The present study examined this association in 207 healthy parent-child pairs including 244 children (mean age = 12.3 years, 103 girls) and 226 parent figures (175 mothers). Sequential multiple linear regression revealed that parent AS was significantly associated with child AS in girls, but not in boys. Parent AS accounted for 9% of incremental variance in child AS, after controlling for child age, parent depression, and parent anxiety. Analyses of parent AS dimensions indicated that the social concerns dimension accounted for 14% of incremental variance in child AS in girls only. Parent anxiety and depression showed no association with child AS, once parent AS was taken into account. The findings indicate that parent AS, especially AS social concerns, demonstrates a significant relationship with child AS in this nonclinical sample of girls.     

Co‐Occurring Trajectory of Mothers’ Substance Use and Psychological Control and Children's Behavior Problems: The Effects of a Family Systems Intervention

This study examined the effects of a family systems therapy (Ecologically‐Based Family Therapy [EBFT]) on the co‐occurring trajectory of mothers’ substance use and psychological control, and its association with children's problem behaviors. Participants included 183 mothers with a substance use disorder who had at least one biological child in their care. Mothers were randomly assigned to one of the three intervention conditions: EBFT—home, n = 62; EBFT—office, n = 61; or Women's Health Education, n = 60. Participants were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months post‐baseline. A dual‐trajectory class growth analysis identified three groups of mothers in regard to their change trajectories. The majority of the mothers exhibited a synchronous decrease in substance use and psychological control (n = 107). In all, 46 mothers exhibited a synchronous increase in substance use and psychological control. For the remaining 30 mothers, substance use and psychological control remained stable. Mothers in the family therapy condition were more likely to show reduced substance use and psychological control compared to mothers in the control condition. Moreover, children with mothers who showed decreased substance use and psychological control exhibited lower levels of problem behaviors compared to children with mothers showing increased substance use and psychological control. The findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of family systems therapy, EBFT, in treating mothers’ substance use, improving parenting behaviors, and subsequently improving child behavioral outcomes.